My Sincerest and Most Humble Apologies to Everyone

I know that I basically dropped off the face of the earth, and I wanted to make apologies to people who I spoke with frequently or were waiting for new content from me.

There is no excuse for my lack of appearance. I will say that I've been dealing with a lot of personal issues including my carpal tunnel flaring up again. Also, I lost internet access for a while. Still, I could have gone to the library or college, a friend's house, something, anything. I didn't. So, I apologize.

Things are better now. Easier. I've been able to start writing again. Hopefully I will have a new chapter up very soon.

Guess what's here again?

The new Don't Read in the Closet Event! Entitled "Love is an Open Road", this event promises to bring more delightful M/M stories to the genre for the public (and all for FREE!).

I will admit that I most certainly had intended to NOT write for the event this year. Shamefully, I am still working on Snowboards & Tuxes, which I started over a year ago at this point. The thing is that I don't corral my characters into neat little plots that go exactly as planned from start to finish A-Z. I let the characters tell me their story instead, and Ewan and Corbin are still...reluctant to fess up *cough*at each other's throats *cough*.

So, for a sneak peak of the prompt I snagged because I just couldn't say no - click here. This one will not be as light and fluffy as Fleece, Fleas, and Flirtation was, but I don't know just how dark and gritty it will be either.

I will be posting another chapter of Snowboards & Tuxes this month sometime (soon, I hope), and will post periodic updates on my progress with the story for #LOR

;) Have a great week everyone!

M/M Romance Group Members' Choice Awards

Fleece, Fleas, and Flirtation was nominated in two categories for the M/M Romance Group's Members' Choice Awards.

One member nominated it in both the Best Gay for You/Out for You and Best Love's Landscapes categories. I didn't find out about this until yesterday, since I was rather absent from social media and the internet as a whole since a little before Thanksgiving; but, I am thrilled that somebody loved something I wrote enough to nominate it for a members' choice award!

These are the lovely badges I received to display here on my blog ^_^

On another note, I can hardly believe it's almost been a year since I officially published Moonlight & Stained Glass. Here I am, still working on Snowboards & Tuxes (which I started around this time last year), and I'm thinking that I really need to get my a** in gear and finish it. So, I plan to post another chapter soon here and hopefully keep up with them better. (Right about now, I'm regretting leaving my last job with it set, predictable hours that made writing easy ._. ).

While Working on Snowboards & Tuxes

I've decided to take a page from one of my absolute favorite authors: A. D. Truax, author of Tenebrism.

In the last update he made to Tenebrism, A. stated that he had joined Patreon. Curious, I investigated and was pleased to discover a land of extra features and first-access. While my pledge is sometimes constricted by other expenses, I adore the idea of supporting an author whose work I hold in such high regard.

However, sometimes I find that I'm the author in need of a little extra. To that end, I created a Patreon content-creator account for myself. Supporters will receive first-access to character profiles before their official release here on my blog and whatever other content I create on Patreon.

Funny, I had wanted to explain this better; but it seems I have failed slightly. Anywho, here's the link to my Patreon page: http://www.patreon.com/AvaPenn

GIVEAWAY! (Who doesn't love the chance to win something free?)

Boughs of Evergreen: A Holiday Anthology is scheduled for release on November 21st. It's already available for pre-order from Beaten Track Publishing, and in honor of the company's very FIRST anthology, they're having a Book Shower!

What's a Book Shower, you may ask. It's like a Bridal Shower, or a Baby Shower; but for a book. We're announcing the arrival of this glorious event with a raffle for 1 digital copy of the anthology to be awarded when complete and 10 copies of a compilation of excerpts from some of the stories in the anthology.

Don't miss out on this FIRST from Beaten Track Publishing!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It ISN'T Duchesne Orange, but...

I'm hoping this might satisfy your curiosity for the moment. It is a delightful detour I made in finding the perfect recipe for Duchesne Orange.

1 c whole milk
1/4 c Ghirardelli White Chocolate Chips
1/4 tsp. Watkins Orange Extract

Heat milk in top pan of a double boiler on low - medium-low heat. Do not bring to boil or overheat. Add white chocolate chips, stir in until melted completely. Add orange extract, stir well. Let heat to desired temperature without boiling or simmering, stirring continuously to avoid burning. Makes two 5 oz servings or 1 10 oz serving. If desired top with whipped cream (French Vanilla flavor recommended).

Bon Breuvage! (Enjoy your beverage)

Finally!!!

Chapter 8 of Snowboards & Tuxes is LIVE!

It's been a looooooooong time coming, I know. For that I apologize (again), but I hope you enjoy it.